sublime emptiness

 

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For days the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree without moving, without any urge to teach. The gods came and encouraged him but he replied, “What I have discovered will not be wanted by almost anyone. Those who are not ready can not be swayed with words and those who are ready can discover it for themselves.” 

One of the gods pondered this for days and then returned and said “Great Buddha, what of those with only a little dust covering their eyes? What of those who are almost ready but only held back by a small hindrance? If you teach then these ones will enter the stream of wisdom.” 

After a moment the Buddha rose from his seat and went to give his first teaching.


—Traktung Rinpoche

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Subhuti was Buddha’s disciple. 

He was able to understand the potency of emptiness, 
the viewpoint that nothing exists except in its relationship of 
subjectivity and objectivity.

One day Subhuti, in a mood of sublime emptiness, 
was sitting under a tree. Flowers began to fall about him.

“We are praising you for your discourse on emptiness,” 
the gods whispered to him.

“But I have not spoken of emptiness,” said Subhuti.

“You have not spoken of emptiness, we have not heard emptiness,” 
responded the gods.

“This is true emptiness.” 

And blossoms showered upon Subhuto as rain.


—Zen Flesh, Zen Bones:
Zen and Pre-Zen Writings
collected by Paul Reps, Nyogen Senzaki

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